1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a log de-barking machine of the hollow rotor type.
2. Prior Art
With prior art log de-barking machines of the hollow rotor type problems have been encountered when de-barking logs whose bark has extremely long fibres, particularly logs with which the nature of the bark varies greatly over the different drying stages thereof.
For example, in the case of Eucalyptus Globulus, the bark of a relatively newly felled tree adheres so loosely to the core of the tree that any de-barking tools and/or cutting knives are unable to climb the bark to cut it up into smaller pieces. Instead, the tools push the bark in front of them, so that the bark leaves the log in the form of long hoses which soon block the rotor and bark outlet.
In the case of dry logs, on the other hand, the bark is so hard that it is difficult to cut through the same. At certain drying stages, the bark adheres so firmly to the wood that it is practically integral therewith.